Seomcho (섬초, also called pohangcho, 포항초) is a wonderfully sweet, delicious winter spinach.
It’s a great way to bring fresh vegetables and bright green colors to your winter table! Seomcho muchim (섬초 무침) is the most common way to cook this spinach.
Ingredients:
500g spinach
Enough water to blanch
1 tbsp sea salt
For seasoning:
3 pinches coarse sea salt
1 tbsp roasted and ground sesame seeds
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp minced scallion
A dash of freshly pressed sesame oil
1. Trim your spinach: cut off root ends (without separating stalks) and remove wilted leaves. Cut the bunches into halves or quarters (for large bunches).
2. Bring your water to a boil and add salt.
3. Blanch the spinach, making sure that the bottoms keep some of their crispness and the leaves are not too mushy.
4. Drain, rinse in cold water and squeeze out the moisture.
5. Place the spinach into a big mixing bowl and add the seasoning ingredients: salt, ground sesame seeds, garlic, scallion, and a few drops of sesame oil. (Be careful with the sesame oil, as it can easily overpower the sweet spinach—try just a few drops at a time!) Toss the spinach gently in this mixture.
Serve as a banchan. Keeps in the fridge for about a day.
